The Defunct Wishes of a Ten Year Old
by Dex Miller
Summary: Brittany was never one for long-term goals. But now she only wished things had panned out differently to avoid the beautiful mess that was New Directions.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: _**_I'm in university, nothing but massive student debt is mine._

**_Spoilers: _**_Nothing essential to canon-plot._

**_Author's Note: _**_This is a sequel/prequel of sorts to my other Glee story. I just wanted to get some sort of background of the character of Brittany, who role is, unfortunately a minor one. She's very intriguing, as she doesn't seem to be on the same 'sabotage the Gleeks' wavelength as Quinn and Santana. And appears to actually be enjoying New Directions._

_Also I have no idea about her last name, I don't think she's been credited with one either, so I just stuck her with a hopefully generic sounding one._

_And thanks to all you who read and/or review my last Glee story, glad to see I'm not all alone in the Brittany/Tina fandom._

_Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it! (In all its unbeata'd glory). This is my first chaptered story, and I'll try to make it not long long between updates, but crazy school is crazy and unpredictable. I do really want to write this though, so I'll do my best to not leave months or weeks between any updates. (And apologies for such a short chapter, I just wanted to get the ball rolling)._

~xXx~

Cheerleading was never on the 'top ten' list of priorities Brittany Miller had planned as a child. Although when she sat down and thought about it, very little in her life had amounted to the goals clumsily scrawled on the back of her tenth birthday card.

She never met the Backstreet Boys, or became a 'famous vet', or even owned a cat as her ten-year-old self had so desperately wished. But none of these things confused or unsettled her quite so much as what she _did_ accomplish in those eight years. Or if she wanted to be specific, her high school years. Or if she got _really_ specific, the trainwreck of New Directions.

~xXx~

Cheerleading came about rather abruptly in grade eleven. The terrifying Sue Sylvester was waiting in the hallway as she exited her Biology class, and promptly dragged the girl into the nearest empty room.

It was all Brittany could do to not start begging for forgiveness of whatever she had done to upset the Cheerio coach, even while nothing immediately came to mind.

Blue eyes widened as Sue grasped her upper arms, holding her out at length and appraised her form with sharp eyes.

"Yes. You'll do. A bit of makeup here and there. Toning work at the gym, a radical haircut…" The coach trailed off, tilting her head while she inwardly debated something or other concerning the teenager.

Brittany could only stare, hands still clutching her backpack as she managed to croak out:

"I'm sorry… What?"

Sue Sylvester released the girl and stepped back, crossing her arms over the front of her tracksuit. The one she wore to intimidate rival teams, and the one Brittany inwardly thought was a disturbing 'blood-red' shade.

Pulse pounding in her ears, she missed out on what the older woman was saying, catching only fragments such as "replacement", "graduating Cheerio's", "Amazonian stature" and "passable bone structure". When it was clear little was being comprehended, Sue leaned over until she was face-to-face with her, and smiled her trademark, icy smile.

"How'd you like to be popular?"

And no one refused Sue Sylvester, no matter how much they wanted to.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: **__I'm in university, nothing but massive student debt is mine._

_**Spoilers: **__Nothing essential to canon-plot._

_**A/N:**__ Right, so I realized I'm not so good with 'the dialogue' or chaptered stories in general. So I've decided to do this story in series of one-shots. See how it turns out/if I can pull it off and so forth. Plus I never had a serious plot for this; it's more of a development of the character I wanted to explore in my own way. Hope you guy's enjoy/tolerate it! :D_

~xXx~

Eventually cheerleading won the blonde over. The routines were fun and challenging; they helped with the clumsiness she had acquired from an unexpected growth spurt the year before. The one that sent Brittany's self image into a steep nosedive while she stood almost a head taller than most of the girls at McKinley High School.

Even the daily screech of the bullhorn as Sue spat out the newest insult regarding the Cheerio's was no longer a deterrent. She fit in, and Brittany was adamant to keep it that way.

~xXx~

So when Quinn requested the help of her fellow Cheerio's to spy on Rachel and expose her rather blatant attraction to Finn, Santana eagerly jumped at the chance while Brittany dutifully followed suit. After all, as abrasive and cold as Quinn came off, she was a friend and a teammate. They learned routines together, endured Sue's wrath, and regularly hung out after school. For all she knew, it could be fun.

~xXx~

Brittany never thought she'd fall for one of her fellow glee club members. Especially one who wore bright green eye shadow and had blue streaks in her hair, and dressed like a groupie of Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Especially one who just so happened to be a girl.

But as clichéd and nauseating as it seemed while thinking back on it, something in her just _clicked_ after practice one day.

A rather mundane practice it had been too, and while she stood listening to Quinn and Santana plotting something or other concerning Rachel, Brittany just happened to glance over and spot Artie and Tina exiting the choir room.

Her hand, always layered with so many bracelets and arm warmers dropped down to rest on his shoulder, squeezing slightly – there was nothing more too it, and yet the cheerleader felt a pang as she watched them leave. It wasn't jealousy directed towards Artie, or at least she hoped that wasn't the case.

As it was, all Brittany could think about as she drove home was that _whatever_ it was she had just experienced, she had no doubt it wouldn't lead anywhere good.


End file.
